diff --git a/cpu/arm7_common/Makefile.dep b/cpu/arm7_common/Makefile.dep
index 93fe31908b..06e7ec95d5 100644
--- a/cpu/arm7_common/Makefile.dep
+++ b/cpu/arm7_common/Makefile.dep
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ USEMODULE += arm7_common_periph
 FEATURES_REQUIRED_ANY += newlib|picolibc
 ifneq (,$(filter newlib,$(USEMODULE)))
   # use the nano-specs of Newlib when available
-  USEMODULE += newlib_nano
+  DEFAULT_MODULE += newlib_nano
 endif
 
 # Make calls to malloc and friends thread-safe
diff --git a/cpu/cortexm_common/Makefile.dep b/cpu/cortexm_common/Makefile.dep
index 856befb6c1..d6ca0bb457 100644
--- a/cpu/cortexm_common/Makefile.dep
+++ b/cpu/cortexm_common/Makefile.dep
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ USEMODULE += cortexm_common_periph
 FEATURES_REQUIRED_ANY += newlib|picolibc
 ifneq (,$(filter newlib,$(USEMODULE)))
   # use the nano-specs of Newlib when available
-  USEMODULE += newlib_nano
+  DEFAULT_MODULE += newlib_nano
 endif
 
 # Export the peripheral drivers to be linked into the final binary:
diff --git a/cpu/esp32/Makefile.dep b/cpu/esp32/Makefile.dep
index 99a0fcb39c..0c1ee1aed3 100644
--- a/cpu/esp32/Makefile.dep
+++ b/cpu/esp32/Makefile.dep
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ USEMODULE += esp_idf_esp32
 USEMODULE += esp_idf_soc
 
 ifneq (,$(filter newlib,$(USEMODULE)))
-  USEMODULE += newlib_nano
+  DEFAULT_MODULE += newlib_nano
 endif
 
 ifneq (,$(filter esp_eth,$(USEMODULE)))
diff --git a/cpu/fe310/Makefile.dep b/cpu/fe310/Makefile.dep
index 477c4ba4c6..b3097f251e 100644
--- a/cpu/fe310/Makefile.dep
+++ b/cpu/fe310/Makefile.dep
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 
 FEATURES_REQUIRED_ANY += newlib|picolibc
 ifneq (,$(filter newlib,$(USEMODULE)))
-  USEMODULE += newlib_nano
+  DEFAULT_MODULE += newlib_nano
   USEMODULE += newlib_syscalls_default
 endif
 
diff --git a/cpu/msp430_common/Makefile.dep b/cpu/msp430_common/Makefile.dep
index 907a9870bc..1292b4bbdc 100644
--- a/cpu/msp430_common/Makefile.dep
+++ b/cpu/msp430_common/Makefile.dep
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 USEMODULE += msp430_common msp430_common_periph
 
 ifneq (,$(filter newlib,$(USEMODULE)))
-  USEMODULE += newlib_nano
+  DEFAULT_MODULE += newlib_nano
 endif
 
 # Make calls to malloc and friends thread-safe